Posted on 10/04/2001 7:34:15 AM PDT by Mia T
Because the frequency and intensity of pathetic CYA maneuvers by clinton and his gang are increasing in direct proportion to the increasing frequency and intensity of editorial comment blaming clinton for 9-11, I suspect clinton CYA-ing will soon reach critical mass. At that historic moment, Sandy Berger (along with his smarmy revisionism) will implode by virtue of his pressure-deflating "uhs", taking his inept, corrupt, cowardly, self-serving leader down with him. As Martha Stewart might say, this is a good thing; clinton CYA-ing is compromising Bush's anti-terror campaign.
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The cumulative effects of the degradation of our military, the perversion of our public morality and the vacuum of real global leadership under Clintoon are now being felt worldwide.
Does anyone truly believe that the general public will somehow connect the dots and realize what a demoralizing, criminal empire we were subjected to during the last eight years? Will the lamestream press finally take the only ethical path and expose this criminal? One can only pray....
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Not Joe Klein's Primary Colors. And not Jack Stanton.
I've waited since 1996 and the FBI filegate "snafu" for the press to pay attention. I don't think it's possible -- but I join you in your prayers.
I wondered, back in the dark days of impeachment and "vindication" by the Senate, how we would ever overcome the media. Now I see that the media is committing slow suicide -- like a heroin addict who goes into rehab on a yearly basis. They may know they're killing themselves, but they just can't stop. They continue to filter the news and plead for acceptance of the terrorist view -- that America is the Great Satan -- and the public, upon whom they depend for their livelihood, becomes more disgusted and detached from them every day.
Lying Under Oath as President - 2 times ~ Lying Under Oath as Governor - 5 times ~ Lying Under Oath as Attorney General ~ Lying Under Oath in a Deposition ~ Lying Under Oath to a Grand Jury ~ Lying Under Oath as a Lawyer ~ Abuse of Power ~ Obstruction of Justice ~ Deriliction of Duty ~ Bribe Solicitation ~ Taking Bribes ~ Bribery of Cabinent Members ~ Bribery of State Officials ~ Treason ~ Corruption ~ Coersion ~ False Swearing ~ Malfeasance of Office ~ Perjury ~ Subornation of Perjury ~ Criminal Trespass ~ Witness Intimidation ~ Witness Tampering ~ Jury Tampering ~ Ethics Violations ~ Intentional Interference in the Administration of Justice ~ Misrepresentation ~ Civil Contempt of Court ~ Criminal Contempt of Court ~ Contempt of Congress ~ Contempt of the American People ~ High Crimes ~ Misdemeanors ~ Deception ~ False Testimony ~ Factually False Testimony ~ Misconduct ~ Serious Misconduct ~ Professional Misconduct ~ Notorious Misconduct ~ Obstruction of the Judicial Process ~ Recklessness ~ Grand Larceny ~ Extortion ~ Blackmail~ Substance Abuse ~ Evidence Suppression ~ Illegal Foriegn Campaign Funding ~ Improper Exports of Sensitve Technology ~ Attempted Intimidation of Prosecutors ~ Destruction of Business Records with Intent to Defraud ~ Failure to Investigate Drug Trafficking ~ Real Estate Fraud ~ Criminalizing Frauds on Financial Institutions ~ Use of State Police for Personal Purposes ~ Illegal Loan Extraction ~ False Reports by Medical Examiners and Others Investigating Suspicious Deaths ~ Improper Futures Trading ~ Illegal Use of the Executive Branch ~ Character Defamation ~ Voter Fraud ~ Racketeering ~ Destruction of Evidence ~ Political Espionage ~ Money Laundering ~ Criminal Negligence ~ RICO Conspiracy ~ Misuse of Government Files ~ Desecration of Federal Ethics Laws ~ Judicial Intimidation ~ Conflict of Interests ~ Illegal Campaign Activity ~ Misuse of Corporate Assets ~ Ordering Politically Motivated Audits ~ Ordering Politically Motivated Investigations ~ Timing of War Influenced by Political Considerations ~ Misapplying Funds ~ Conspiracy to Defraud the Federal Government ~ Criminal Violation of the Privacy Act ~ Conspiracy to Conceal ~ Evisceration of the Right to Habeas Corpus ~ Misuse of Taxpayer Funds ~ Interfering with a Court Order ~ Theft of Government Property ~ Abuse of Taxpayer Financed Travel ~ Anti-American Espionage ~ Jeopardizing National Security ~ Aiding and Abetting Drug Traffic ~ Aiding and Abetting Organized Crime ~ Murder by Accessory by Witness Tampering ~ Murder by Accessory by Forgery ~ Foreign Influence Peddling ~ Regular Influence Peddling ~ Corrupting Public Discourse ~ Providing False and Misleading Testimony ~ Interferring with a Custody Case ~ Kidnapping by Accessory ~ Child Endangerment ~ Sexual Harassment ~ Indecent Exposure ~ Sexual Abuse of Employees ~ Lewd and Lascivious Conduct ~ Exchange of Promotions or Benefits for Sexual Favors ~ Sexual Assault ~ Statutory Rape ~ Contributing to the Delinquincy of a Minor ~ Unfit to hold a law license ~ Conduct Unbecoming a President ~ Squandering the Public Trust
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- Silence becomes him
- Paul Greenberg (back to story)
- October 4, 2001
It was good to see George W. Bush's predecessor rallying with the rest of America to support the commander-in-chief in these tense times, but we do wish Bill Clinton would avoid discussing issues of national security. Loose lips still sink ships, and they can also down airplanes and destroy tall buildings.
When the former president was asked about a report that he'd authorized an attempt to take out Osama bin Laden after American embassies were destroyed in Kenya and Tanzania back in 1998, Mr. Clinton not only confirmed the report, but couldn't resist the temptation to present his administration's record in the best light.
It's a record he might not want to shine too much light on. Because as president, he mainly only talked against terrorism. ("America will never tolerate terrorism. ... Defeating these organized forces of destruction is one of the most important challenges our country faces.") The talk was never matched by policy -- at least not a determined, focused, consistent policy. To call it a weak policy would be to overstate its strength; it was showy but pitiful.
To quote Paul Bremer, who chaired the National Commission on Terrorism back in the '90s, "The Clinton administration basically had a very episodic approach to fighting terrorism. And then it acted essentially in a feckless fashion, particularly in 1998 when Clinton used words about a long war and his action was to send a couple of cruise missiles to destroy a couple of mud huts in Afghanistan." He also blew up an empty factory in Khartoum. The plant was supposed to be connected with Osama bin Laden, but in the end the Clinton administration didn't even contest the owner's claims when he came for his assets in court.
As The New York Times' Michael Gordon pointed out, there was no risk to American personnel in this kind of long-distance war against terrorism, but there was little risk to the terrorists, either.
"We did what we thought we could," Bill Clinton now tells NBC. "I made it clear that we should take all necessary action to try to apprehend (Osama bin Laden) and get him. We never had another chance where the intelligence was as reliable to justify military action."
Rather than make excuses, a simple No Comment would have sufficed. Indeed, it would have shown an appropriate modesty on the part of a president who, when it comes to terrorism, has much to be modest about. Which becomes clear when one reviews the low points of the Clinton administration's war on terrorism, which wasn't much of one. The Clinton crew dropped the ball from the beginning, when one of its first decisions was to downgrade the State Department's office of counter-terrorism.
The Clinton administration also responded to Saddam Hussein's attempt to assassinate President George Bush with a barrage of cruise missiles. They hit the headquarters of Saddam's intelligence agency -- in the middle of the night. (When it came to bombing terrorists, this commander-in-chief was Hell on empty buildings.)
Barred from running for president again, Bill Clinton seems to be running for ex-president, burnishing his record whenever he can and sometimes just inventing it. He would do better to follow Jimmy Carter's example by simply doing good deeds; Mr. Carter has been so exemplary at it that a lot of us have just about forgotten his failed presidency.
Let it be noted that Congress did pass some strong and needed legislation against terrorist organizations during the '90s, but often enough over the Clinton administration's opposition. Unfortunately, that administration then failed to enforce those laws with anything like consistent rigor. It played up to terrorist regimes like Iran's and made excuses for Yasser Arafat even after the Palestinian leader had unleashed his bomb-throwers. A month after Camp David had collapsed, the Pollyannas in the Clinton White House were still looking for ways to appease the man who had resurrected terrorism as an instrument of policy in the Middle East.
But the most telling action Bill Clinton took against terrorists, or rather for them, was to offer clemency to 16 convicted Puerto Rican bombers, part of the group that had waged a nine-year war in Puerto Rico and on the mainland. Their toll: six killed and 70 wounded in more than 70 bombings. In offering these terrorists clemency, Bill Clinton overruled the recommendations of his FBI director (which he did with some regularity) and various law enforcement officers.
That he chose to confer clemency on this homicidal bunch while his spouse was angling for Puerto Rican votes in New York's Senate race only added to the injury -- and insult.
George W. Bush can also be criticized for the state of the country's defenses against terrorism during his brief months in the Oval Office before September 11, 2001. But he doesn't ask for it by trying to defend his record. Since September 11th, he's had other things to do, and has been doing them rather well. He's been too busy and too focused to make excuses for what went before -- an omission that would become another president just now. Save it for your memoirs, Bill.
©2001 Tribune Media Services
"For their purposes, it... (Xlington Madministration)--was doing just fine on its own."
Mrs. Sooner and I hope you and yours are well.
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